SKIN DEEP

“I want what she's having...”

If you've heard yourself saying this, if you’re envious of others’ seemingly natural ability to shine with great skin, then it’s time to find out why you don't have it, and how you can acquire it.

Beautiful skin is a lifelong process. If you want gorgeous skin in later life, good choices made early are key for glorious skin for the future. In contrast, negative skincare routines can cause harm to the way you look, and feel, into the future.
Preventing potential skin problems early in life is easier than trying to fix skin issues in the future.

“Skin care is so much more important than makeup.

Makeup is for when you're having fun and going out.

But your skin is forever.”

- Halima Aden, Somali-American Fashion Model

She is noted for being the first woman to wear a hijab in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant, where she was a semi-finalist. Following her participation in the pageant, Halima received national attention.

However, it’s never too late to make some improvements.

Our skin is our trademark, it shows those around us how we treat ourselves. It is the face of our beliefs and behaviours.
Of course, we all age in time, and our skin will eventually lend itself to lines and wrinkles, but there is a way for us all to age mindfully and gracefully without the harshness of bad habits and lack of care.

Our skin is our largest organ with a total area of about 20 square feet, it protects us from microbes and the elements, helps regulate our body temperature, and gifts us with the ability to experience touch, heat, cold, wind and to react emotionally to sexual stimuli, fright, fear and even divine confirmations.
It also provides a protective barrier against mechanical, thermal and physical injury and hazardous substances. Our skin prevents loss of moisture, and reduces the harmful effects of unseen ultra-violet radiation. Our skin also absorbs and excretes toxins.


There are five different skin types - Normal, sensitive, dry, oily, and a combination of some of these.

Skin has three layers:

Skin has three layers, the epidermis, the dermis and the hypodermis

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

~MPOWERUSLEEZA~



• The epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, which provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin tone.

• The dermis, beneath the epidermis, contains tough connective tissue, hair follicles, and sweat glands.

• The deeper subcutaneous tissue (hypodermis) is made of fat and connective tissue.

Stop the Clock. Now.

Yes, you can really stop the aging clock and stop yourself looking prematurely older

In order to prevent premature lines and signs of aging, the first thing you must do is to make your skin your number one priority, every day!

Some immediate ways are to avoid smoking, sunbathing, excessive alcohol consumption and sleep deprivation, and eat a healthy diet. Avoid sugar at all costs. Reduce your stress as this accelerates aging.
You should consider using a moisturiser containing antioxidants such as Vitamins A, C, E.

Be kind and gentle with your skin.

Limit the time you spend in the sun

~MPOWERUSLEEZA~


• Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers ...if you do enjoy a bath consider adding some goat’s milk and essential oils.

• Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can strip away natural oils. I use natural soaps such as goat’s milk, or vegetable soaps mixed with lavender or rose.

Don’t spend too long in the bath

~MPOWERUSLEEZA~

• Shave carefully. To protect your skin apply a natural jojoba oil or coconut lotion. Better still try laser if you feel better hairfree.

• Dab your skin, do not rub....buy yourself an expensive luxurious hand towel.
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Exfoliate weekly, get rid of those dead skin cells. I make my own coffee granule scrub with sea-salt and essential oils.

• Moisturize only with natural products daily. Possibly the most famous natural skin care product is coconut oil. It is also the most versatile. It can be ingested as well as applied topically and can cause a variety of beneficial effects on your skin, including purging dead skin cells, fortifying skin tissue, and protecting the skin from sunburns.

Drink up! Water that is, not alcohol.

None of us drinks enough throughout the day and our skin suffers.

~MPOWERUSLEEZA~

Saving Face.

Ok, so you’re trying to figure out the correct order of your skincare routine, what products to use, when and how. All of these things can leave you completely bewildered. The topic of skincare is massively confusing. Ask a dozen people, family, friends, beauticians, and even doctors what to put on your face, and you’ll get a dozen wildly different answers.

Advice on skin care can be very confusing

Growing up on the world of fashion, modelling and health I learnt a lot. Some of my best memories are of sitting in my mother’s dress shop watching and listening to the hive of activity as she measured all the local celebrities and socialites for their special occasions.

I’m certain most mothers wouldn't subject their offspring to the antics and discussions that took place behind the walls of her retail establishment, DOTTI. Being the inquisitive young girl I was and with my mother’s passionate and libertine ways, I was encouraged to join in. I would race to her dress shop after school just to hear them share with my mother all their latest travels, adventures, conquests and sexy secrets.

THE FABULOUS AMERICAN

DRAG QUEEN, RU PAUL

Beauty and appearance was always the hot topic and many of my mother’s flamboyant and fabulous transvestite clients didn't hold back on their tricks of the trade in acquiring good skin care, and it didn’t matter whether they were men, women or transvestites. Indeed, the trannies were the most animated about their male bodies.
Which shows that it isn’t just women who should look after their skin, men too should take the time to nurture themselves.
From these beautiful souls, I learnt very early on about make-up products, trends, waxing, laser, electrolysis, bleaching, botox, fillers and much more.
It’s when I first heard the customers talking about the BCAS (back, crack & sack) job, Brazilian, landing strip, a prince Albert, even vajooling! Don’t ask…..and the list goes on!

It was evident to me that having great skin was paramount to the way in which all people summed you up. I’m fortunate enough to say I never suffered from bad acne as a teenager, I attribute that to my vegetarian and non dairy lifestyle. Dairy is one of the worst culprits for acne.

I never took the pill either, as I was consciously aware of the weight gain a young girl could suffer, along with bad acne as well as other side affects. Of course practising safe sex is a must so that needs to be taken into account.
Pharmaceutical drugs are not the best things for our skin, although some of us do have to have antibiotics to halt serious acne if other methods haven't worked. If acne is severe then a doctor will prescribe specific medicines to clear up the problem.

Sadly some of us jump to medication to control acne rather than trying to balance our hormones by eating a proper diet, daily meditation, proper cleansers, natural products and staying away from cheap and nasty fried takeaway food full of gunk, and drugs and alcohol.

Wearing a hat in the sun is essential, and 50 plus sunscreen

Over the years I have done much research into natural methods of keeping great clear and moisturised skin. What works for me may not work for you, it’s very much down to trial and error. On top of that, as we age our skin changes and we will constantly be making adjustments to suit its needs. One of the reasons is because as we age, and especially as we pass menopause, we no longer produce as much collagen, the building scaffold of the body, and so our skin starts to sag.
Being peri-menopausal can also wreak havoc with our skin, so it’s important to be aware of the changes to our bodies and adjust our internal health to support our external health. Supplements and tonics created by Chinese practitioners and certain naturopathic medicines such as Vitex are wonderful during this time. I have witnessed amazing results this way.

Pre-menopaus and menopause times of our lives needn't be the end of our appearance, health and vitality. We just need to do a little research like I have done for you and holding the faith and belief that you can mature gracefully and happily.

I personally think it’s ok to tweak your face a little with fillers or botox if this makes you happy, just be mindful not to go overboard.

It’s very important to be comfortable with the skin you’re in. Everything we do in life is connected, so all aspects of our health routine and lifestyle accounts for the way we look.

You’re in your skin for a long time and you should spend it having a good time, just be mindful of all your choices.
None of us ever thinks we are going to grow old, and so we may be a little reckless or think we are invincible, but eventually all the choices we made when we were younger catch up with us.
If there is one thing I drum into the younger generation I mentor on health and fitness it’s that.
Having thick skin is great sometimes but having delicate supple healthy skin is just as important.

Love & Light

~MPOWERUSLEEZA~